Persecution of Christians has been growing around the world, but what about in the U.S.? Are Christians being persecuted in America?

Expect Persecution

Christ-followers, which is a better description for the person who has trusted in Christ, can expect persecution. It shouldn’t surprise us because the Apostles, prophets, evangelists, and of course Jesus, was persecuted for preaching the gospel. Jesus never promised you “might be” persecuted but in fact, you will be, so it’s not a question of if, but when and how often you are persecuted for your faith in Christ. Jesus was adamant about this when He said, “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours” (John 15:20) because “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master” (Matt 10:24). From some of the posts or comments on this and other articles Christians write you can see this being fulfilled by the vindictive and vicious comments non-believers leaven, so “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master” (Matt 10:24), so “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). We have to expect to be “hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt 10:22).

Growing Persecution

Persecution is growing around the world, even if it’s not as noticeable in the U.S. and other parts of the West, but here too it’s growing in ways we might not be able to see. As recently as 2013, persecution doubled over the previous year, and according to an annual survey by Open Doors, which is a non-denominational ministry that monitors the persecution of believers and supports persecuted Christian’s worldwide, hardline Islamist regimes and Islamic terrorists were behind most of the slaughter. Some of the worst persecution came from Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, the Maldives, Pakistan, Iran, and Yemen and all of these are Islamic countries. One Pakistani Christian couple was burnt to death in a kiln by enraged Muslim villagers for what the Muslims believed to be disrespecting the Koran by simply using the Bible and not the Koran. North Korea was listed as the most dangerous nation for Christian’s but Nigeria came first for the number of Christians killed for their faith, recording more than half of the 7,000-plus killings across the globe, however the six nations where most Christians were killed for their faith in Christ were in sub-Saharan Africa and in this order were Nigeria, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and Cameroon. A recent a Pew Forum study on Religion and Public Life reported that Christianity faces restrictions and hostility in more than 110 countries around the world and this is growing, but it already includes far more than half of the nations in the world.

Persecution in America

Even the Apostle Paul said he was “persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2nd Cor 4:9) so he knew it was to be expected. According to Christian Solidarity International, more Christians died for their faith in the twentieth century than at any other time in history and that trend is escalating. Of course, the persecution we face in the U.S. is nothing like that of other nations around the world were their government does little or nothing to prevent it, and in most cases actually support it by their “hands off” policies. In Houston, Texas, it was reported that one woman was ordered by local police to stop handing out gospel tracts to children who knocked on her door during Halloween. Even if that were true, American Christians don’t know what real persecution is. Persecution is not being restricted from handing out Bible tracts at public schools. Part of the persecution comes in a less than honest way where textbooks are being revised by historians who apparently have an axe to grind against religion. Dr. Paul Vitz, then professor of psychology at New York University, worked with a committee that examined sixty social studies and history textbooks used in public schools across the United States and what the committee found was amazing. Almost every reference of Christian influence in early America was systematically removed. Sadly, historical revisionists are allowed the freedom to print lies of “omission” by removing the Christian heritage of this nation.

No Persecution?

If you are not being persecuted for your faith in Christ then you are either on a desert island and no one is there to persecute you or you are not living any differently from the world around you…or you are not a Christian at all. If you are living a godly life you will be persecuted, make no mistake about it, because “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2nd Tim 3:12). Even the Apostle Paul admits, “I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women” (Acts 22:4), and later, he himself was the one who was being persecuted. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad thing to be persecuted. Jesus tells us “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:10) so “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:12). There is no doubt that “You will be hated by all for my name’s sake” (Luke 21:17), “But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me” (John 15:21).

Conclusion

When the Apostles were being persecuted they were brought before the Sanhedrin council and commanded to stop preaching the gospel, but the Apostle Peter told them, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29), so after “they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go” (Acts 5:40). How did they react? Did they contact the ACLU or complain to the Roman authorities? No, “they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name” (Acts 5:41). If you are persecuted for believing in Jesus, then you are in good company, for so did they the prophets, the Apostles, and of course the Lord Jesus Christ Who the murdered.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.

Yet given that people are being sued for speaking their mind should indicate that there are problems.

DoctorDJ

The poor dears. Bless their lill’ hearts (has we say in the South)…

Kendall Fields

I worry less about Christians here than overseas but even I can see the writing on the wall people are facing here.

Greg Thompson

Who is being sued for speaking their mind? Sources, please! Being sued for discrimination, is not the same thing. Being sued for not doing one’s job, is not the same thing.

Kendall Fields

Plenty of people in America and overseas.

Greg Thompson

Again – sources! Persecuted in America? Or being called on their prosetylization; distortion of the faith to manipulate politics and followers through fear-mongering.

Being made fun of is not persecution – and Christians love to dish it out, but can’t take it. That is why I cannot get onboard with the heretical, faux-Christian Evangangelical BS, as a Christian – that is not the faith of my fathers.

As for overseas – the Coptics are the most persecuted and they look nothing like American Christians, in fact they look at us as faithless, weak and worthless – much like the Muslims around them, they are willing to die for their faith! And how does this legislation help them? How do you, as a “fellow Christian” help them – directly and impactfully?

Kendall Fields

And how often do you see Christians making fun of people? Very rarely. Your answers are just stupid. And what do you do to help people being persecuted? Because it sounds to me like you do not believe in Jesus Christ.

Greg Thompson

All the time! We are humans. We have senses of humor and all the trappings of being humans. BTW, you answered your own question, “your answers are just stupid.” How Christ-like! Have I disparaged you, even once? Called you a name… made fun of you…? Questioned YOUR faith? How dare you, Kendall – and based on what, do you make such an un-Christlike assumption (go back and read the book!). I’ve donated money, done mission trips, volunteered to put medical care packages together at a local non-profit and even carried them abroad when traveling, to centers that can get them into those countries. And I pray. And you?

Kendall Fields

I am devoted to my Lord, Jesus Christ. I asked you about it because by the way you were arguing your point, you seemed to present yourself not as a believer in God.

Jack Wellman

Your states are from who and where? What is your source for your pie or is it the kitchen?

Greg Thompson

That is not persecution, Mr. Wellman. I’m a Christian, too, and that is not persecution – it is making light of the whininess, that I too, despise in my fellow modern Christians. It is shameful, given how blessed we are in America!

Bravo Sierra

A loss of privilege does not amount to persecution.

Jack Wellman

So, you are comfortable with losing privileges?

Bravo Sierra

I’m comfortable with equity.

Dessany

For example you can’t hand out Bible tracts at public schools but its okay for the Freedom from Religion Foundation to distribute anti-Christian pamphlets to public school children entitled, “We Can Be Good Without God.”

Showing your total lack of understanding of the purpose of FFRF. When religious people want to use our public services to proselytize (especially to children in public schools), FFRF points out the legal options. 1. it’s illegal to provide a public platform for proselytizing and needs to stop. 2. Allow all to participate without viewpoint discrimination.

Funny thing when the public service allows all to participate, the religious start crying about persecution for allowing others the same access.

You might want to actually research what you’re writing about instead of just getting it from your right-wing religious sources.

Kendall Fields

Oh trust me they would remove a crosses as long as they offend anybody. So you are wrong.

Dessany

Why would I trust you when you don’t show basic understanding of the constitution? FFRF is not offended by the showing of a cross. They are offended by the anti-constitutional attempts to use the government to enforce christianity.

Go ahead and put as many crosses you want up on private land. You won’t have a single complaint from the FFRF. (Your neighbors might think you are weird but that’s your problem.) It’s only when you put your religious iconography on the public, i.e. government, property that belongs to all of us and not just the christian portion of the population that the FFRF will act.

Kendall Fields

And how are they forcing Christianity? Because I haven’t heard of a bill that says Christianity is the only one that can be practiced. The FFRF just hates religion(specifically Christianity) while putting on a friendly face.

Dessany

By allowing only Christian prayer, songs, icons, etc on government property. By freaking out when another option is allowed to have a chance to do the same. Usually allowed in response to a letter or court case from FFRF or the ACLU or another such organization.

Christians have behaved like dogs. Running around and marking their territory. Unfortunately for them the territory they are marking belongs to all of us and not just to the christians among us.

Luckily for non-christian citizens there are people not afraid to challenge the privilege christians have had. I’m sure it feels like hatred to have your privilege challenged and to lose those unconstitutional privileges .

Kendall Fields

Actually that goes to atheists who do that to a lot of places as they are sued for simply having a cross there. So you really need to come up with something better.

Dessany

Which places are sued for simply having a cross there? Oh look, it’s all government places. Not a single private place in sight. Again you show your complete lack of basic understanding of the constitution and legal precedents on the establishment of religion. Placing crosses on government property and only crosses and not allowing other non-christian items is the establishment of religion. Keep on showing your ignorance.

Kendall Fields

How is that establishing a religion now you sound stupid.

Dessany

Not surprised someone as clueless as you about the constitution doesn’t understand how allowing the placement of religious icons from only one religion is establishment of religion.

Kendall Fields

It doesn’t establish a religion so if atheists put up a display against religion that establishes atheism? Give m break.

Dessany

Again with the ignorance. When only christians are allowed to put their religious icons on government ground that establishes christianity as the state religion whether it is stated so or not. (A lot of people in this country believe that this is a christian country and use the fact of christian icons on government property as a basis of this belief.)

Allowing others to also place their own icons or statements dissipates the effect of having one and only one religion taking over our government property with their icons. This is why christians start crying about persecution and having tantrums when they are required to share.

What usually happens then is they decide that since they can’t keep ownership they won’t allow anyone access. Which just happens to be what the FFRF and ACLU and other such organizations wanted in the first place. It’s just too sad we have to go through the whole toddler tantrum thing most every time to get the religious to obey the constitution.

Kendall Fields

No they are trying to stamp out religious freedom which is why they continue to do this. No one is stopping you guys fro putting up your displays but oh yeah you guys don’t have holidays except government ones.

Dessany

Actually, we are being stopped from putting up our own displays. City and county councils, state legislatures, governors all have refused to allow us to put up our own displays. When they are sued many have decided to not allow any displays and blame it on the evil atheists and cry persecution for being required to take their religious display down (even though it was only taken down on their own decision.) When allowed to put up displays, religious people regularly vandalize and remove our displays.

We have holidays. We celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday. The solstice is a traditional holiday for all of humanity. You guys have just tried to appropriate it. (Stealing is wrong you know) Like I said above, you’re just like dogs. Running around and marking your territory everywhere. You try to claim everything as your own. Holidays, our government, marriage, sex, (why are you guys so obsessed with other people’s sex lives?) education………..

Kendall Fields

Actually Christmas is a religious holiday plus when people talk about their sex lives to others they want people to agree. We aren’t obsessed with other people’s lives but you guys want other us to accept it.

Dessany

Actually Christmas has been secularized for most of my life and I’m not young. Certainly christians have claimed the solstice as they have tried to coopt the other traditional holidays. They worked hard to make them joyless moments of worship. But the spirit of the holidays worked against them and people have joined together with family and friends to just enjoy the time spent together during the holidays.

As for your obsession with other people’s sex lives. Yes, you are obsessed with sex. We don’t want you making laws about the intimate aspects of other people’s lives. As long as the sex is consensual and between adults, it’s none of your business. If two people want to get married, it’s none of your business. If two people want to walk down the street holding hands and kissing each other goodbye at the corner like any other couple in love, no one is asking you to accept it. We’re only telling you to keep your obsession to yourself and stop interfering with other people’s personal business.

Kendall Fields

Just because someone consents to something doesn’t mean it is right. Also with Christmas being secularized is something that is just wrong.

Susan

Just because someone consents to something doesn’t mean it is right.

If an adult consents to something with another adult that has no adverse consequences on other individuals that is distinguishable from the basic freedoms provided for an ordinary citizen, then you have to show that it is wrong.

Ignorant Amos provided the example of a child who was tortured to death on religious grounds.

This is what legal and moral batlles are about. Religious priviliege meant two heterosexuals were allowed to torture a child to death and pretty much get away with it. I have a strong moral inclination to support law that prevents that.

Two men or women in love is right until you can demonstrate it is wrong.

Very early on, it was suggested that you be banned but I wasn’t sure about it because I know I showed up on the internet saying some very dumb things (because a lot of religious people had lied to me from a very young age and I was trying to sort it out.)

I found a lot of people who very kindly replaced propaganda with facts (for instance, MNb and epeeist explaing the source of Big Bang theory to you) and I adjusted my thinking based on the facts provided.

I don’t know how old you are or what background you have but you have made it obvious that you have just come here to preach. You’ve ignored all discussion and shown no interest in anything but preaching.

Your assertions are so badly twisted that it would take a boatload of comment space to address them.

Even that would be useful if you were interested in the responses.

But you’re not.

I hope you’re banned very soon.

You’re a Yahwehjesus spambot. Nothing to see here.

If you’re eleven or something or even if you’re older but have been taught that anyone who questions your statements is an agent of Satan, that is, if your reasoning is completely crippled by factors I have no way of knowing, I hope your time here has been useful and that it leaves you with concerns about your inability to participate in any meaningful way in a normal discussion about your claims.

For now, I hope you’re banned. You don’t seem interested in the least in correction or learning.

It’s a very open forum that gives us all very long leashes to promote intelligent discussion.

Hey, I’m patient. I can keep on responding as long as you keep spouting ignorant nonsense.

Kendall Fields

Sure thing keep saying foolish things and I will correct you.

Dessany

LOL, right. You go on showing your ignorance.

Kendall Fields

Yes my ignorant child I will correct you.

Dessany

Now you’re adding condescension to your ignorance. So far you haven’t managed to correct me. You’ll have to try harder. But that would mean you need to correct your own ignorance.

Kendall Fields

I am not being condescending and I have corrected you. So you need to correct yourself.

Dessany

Sorry, I’ll have to correct you here. Calling another adult “my ignorant child ” is condescending. As for your correcting me? All you’ve done is show your ignorance of the constitution. This is probably why you’ve moved to condescension. Being unable to correct me, you resort to calling me a child. Very adult of you. LOL

Kendall Fields

No all I have done is just state you are spouting lies and not being condescending. But I think that goes more to you than me.

Dessany

LOL, who is the one lying? You call an adult woman a child and claim that calling an adult woman a child is not condescending. That’s a lie. I think anyone reading can see who is lying here. But then when you’re as ignorant as you are, what do you have left but to lie.

Kendall Fields

Well you have been acting like a child and I haven’t been condescending but you have. So you are the one who is the liar. However, all of us are ignorant no matter what knowledge you have. So you are just as ignorant as me.

Dessany

Apparently in your world acting like a child is pointing out your ignorance. You don’t know the constitution and you don’t know the applicable judicial decisions regarding the exclusive use of one religion’s symbols on government property.

You keep asserting the same points without apparently understanding that there is a difference between private property and government property. Hint: it has to do with government property belonging to all of us and not just the majority religious.

We are all ignorant of many things. Most people are willing to be corrected when they are wrong about things. You, however, keep on reasserting your ignorant ideas about crosses on government property. You have lied about what FFRF does. You are definitely passed into troll territory.

Kendall Fields

I haven’t lied but they do try to keep religious people down I mean that is their job.

Dessany

They try to keep religious people from keeping a privilege they have no legal right to. The problem is that religious people have for decades used our government spaces for only christian icons and or prayers. They are merely trying to make religious people, usually christians in this country, follow the constitution.

Maybe seeing this from the other side will help you to understand why this is wrong.http://www.wnd.com/2005/10/32839/ How does it feel to have another religion pushed upon you in a place there shouldn’t be such an intrusion?

Kendall Fields

Uh no putting up a cross doesn’t mean you establish a religion just like putting up a display against Christianity doesn’t establish Atheism.

Dessany

Again, private vs. public, i.e. government, property. How many displays against christianity are put up on government property? How many displays promoting christianity are put up on government property?

Yeah that’s right christians have a hold on the market and are fighting to keep anyone but christians from displaying their beliefs on government property. If that isn’t an establishment of religion, I don’t know what is. Keep repeating your lies.

You’ve been educated and by now it’s clear you just don’t care about the constitution. All you care about is lying about what christians are doing and trying to divert from the fact that christians are trying to claim our government as christian.

Kendall Fields

No one is claiming the government is Christian but you guys want to take down crosses that involve a celebration to try bring us down. So you need to stop.

Dessany

Then stop using our government property to store your crosses and other religious icons. It’s not like there aren’t enough churches in this country to store them. People can put these christian symbols all over their own property. There is no need to use our government property to advertise and proselytize your religion. Your privilege is coming to an end. You will get what you deserve. Equal treatment under the law.

Kendall Fields

Putting up a cross doesn’t establish a religion. So get over it.

Dessany

Allowing only crosses on everyone’s government property, not just christians, is establishing a religion. When you add all the other unconstitutional things christians are doing like prayer in school, baptizing athletes on the school field, prayer before all government public meetings from city councils to the US Senate and House, we are indeed talking about establishing that this country is exclusively christian.

We’re not stopping until christians can accept they are equal to everyone else in this country and stop forcing the rest of us to go through christian rituals and icons to access our government services.

Kendall Fields

No one is forcing you to go through Christian rituals and you can have prayer in school but it is a shame they don’t do it like back in 1970s and 1980s. There are very few other religious groups and probably don’t do their own prayers in the government. Everyone is equal but no one is forcing you to do the right thing but you join up with the bad guys of this situation.

Dessany

It is forcing people to go through christian rituals when they are being done at public government meetings, public school graduations, games, and sometimes even now classes. There is no other reason for these public rituals than to force everyone into a public acclamation of the majority religion.

I’m sure you would like to bring back forced prayer into public school classes. You have shown yourself to be a dishonest troll. You know the FFRF only works to end the abuse of public, governmental spaces by the majority religion in the US.

You not only know about the way christians are living a privileged position in the US but approve of that privileged positions. You state outright you want go back to the time when children going to public school are required to participate in a religious ritual even if it’s not their own.

You are a hypocrite and a liar. You would be screaming in outrage if any other religion or non-religion used the same prvilege. We’ve seen it before. When these christians are required to sit through another religions ritual christians like you have tantrums. No I don’t join up with the bad guys, because that would mean joining up with you and others of your ilk.

Kendall Fields

No one is forced to do them and if they have a problem they can just leave the room or not listen although when you do that you miss out on something great. And you are a part of the bad guys, the FFRF and you are the only hypocrite here. So if you don’t want to listen to them then don’t participate.

Dessany

So if you don’t want to sit through a christian prayer you should leave the room or not listen at:
*your graduation
*your city council meetings
*your class football games
*your county council meetings
*your school board meetings
*some actual public school classes
and on and on and on you are requiring people to sit through and listen, since you can’t shut your ears off, or leave these important parts of their lives. Only a clueless christian or a christian like you who knows just what they are doing think that they are on the right side by forcing people to do this.

It is a take-over of our governmental institutions by the majority religion. Or as you say, if you don’t want to listen to them don’t participate. How convenient for you.

Kendall Fields

Then don’t pay attention to it no one is forcing you to pray so you can just sit there and stay quiet.

Dessany

So your answer is STFU. Wonderful. You are quite the troll. You absolutely know by now how much you are lying. You know what the constitution says and what the judicial decisions are. You don’t care that about any of that. You just want anyone that is different to STFU and leave you with your undeserved privileges. You are also a huge hypocrite. If any other religion or non-religion took over the government like yours has you would be screaming persecution like… oh like your cohorts do every time equality is established. You and yours are what’s wrong with this country.

Kendall Fields

I won’t be saying persecution if you allow me to practice my beliefs however you guys are the problem here screaming inequality when no one is forcing you to listen to a prayer and no one is establishing a religion. So it would seem you are the liar and hypocrite.

Dessany

You can practice your beliefs all over this country. There are churches everywhere in this country. You can say your prayers anywhere that you aren’t intruding on the rights of others. Want to say a prayer at a city council meeting. Go ahead. You can even take the time they allow for public comment to say a prayer and no one will complain. You can put your crosses and nativity scenes, and ten commandment atrocities in and in front of your churches, homes, and private places of business and no one will complain. Your children can pray in schools as long as they aren’t distracting the real business of schools which is teaching and learning.

What you can’t do is take over the public square and enforce your religious beliefs on the rest of us. You have been abusing the constitution in this country and set up privileges for christians that have you screaming persecution when you are forced to follow the constitution. It is this behavior that is causing others to see the problem with having civil religion. The more you act out and throw tantrums about having your outsized religious privilege questioned, the more people are seeing what hypocrites you are. It’s not having the crosses and prayer in our government that is going to cause them to be removed, it’s the ugly behavior that appalls thinking people.

So back to the lurkers. They have been watching you lie, dissemble, divert, lecture, condescend, and other obnoxious behaviors in your attempt to keep your religious privileges. Do you really think they will accept your side when you behave that way? There’s a reason the nones are growing.

Kendall Fields

How are the ten commandments atrocities and you guys are the only hypocrites here with you guys doing the exact thing. And the polls could very well be wrong and a lot of those guys grow because they never believed in God to begin with. So if you have a problem with it either don’t attend or stay silent.

Kendall Fields

And no my answer is not a curse word. But I would suggest you clean your mouth.

Dessany

And you add to your treasure chest of charms being a tone troll. Apparently referring to a “curse” word is more offensive to you than taking away the civil rights of people. Maybe saying fuck outright will offend you even further. How absurd. Luckily I don’t have to take your suggestions.

Kendall Fields

Some things should be allowed some shouldn’t however no one is forcing you to attend meetings or listen to the prayers just like no one has to listen to you attacking our faith. So you need to clean yourself up more.

jamesparson

“Then don’t pay attention to it no one is forcing you to pray so you can just sit there and stay quiet.”

This is exactly the problem. There are a whole category people that are supposed to just be silent.

Kendall Fields

And?

jamesparson

I can’t think of a single time an Atheist went after a cross on private property.

Do you have an example?

Kendall Fields

Oh it will come eventually judging by what is going on right now it is only a matter of time.

jamesparson

Crosses offend me, but if they are private property, I don’t care.

Kendall Fields

Then I pray for you, lost soul.

jamesparson

I let you know if it does anything.

Kendall Fields

I keep you in my thoughts though it is on you to fix your problems and let God into your heart.

Maltnothops

Do you have a source for the Halloween example? I’ve found it in several places online but never with a citation. The earliest source I’ve located is 2001.

“Tolerance of anti-Christian attitudes in the United States is escalating. Recently, a woman in Houston, Texas was ordered by local police to stop handing out gospel tracts to children who knocked on her door during Halloween. Officers informed her that such activity is illegal (not true), and that she would be arrested if she continued. In Madison, Wisconsin, the Freedom from Religion Foundation distributes anti-Christian pamphlets to public school children entitled, “We Can Be Good Without God.””

Remarkably similar language too.

pud

More endless gibberish. The only thing your cult (and others) is suffering is the triumph of reason over ignorance, stupidity and superstitious absurdity. And you’re losing! amen!